Medical training survey reveals urgent need for cultural change in healthcare
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is calling for immediate action to address persistent bullying, discrimination and harassment in medical training following the release of the 2025 Medical Training Survey (MTS) results.
Despite high satisfaction rates with training quality, one in three doctors in training reported experiencing or witnessing unacceptable workplace behaviours in the past year, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees disproportionately affected at 56 per cent.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said while the AMA welcomes the positive aspects of Australia's medical training environment, the results reveal deeply concerning cultural challenges that demand urgent systemic reform.
"The survey of more than 18,000 trainees reveals a troubling shift in the sources of unacceptable behaviour, with incidents from patients and families rising from 38 per cent in 2019 to 46 per cent in 2025," Dr McMullen said.
“This issue compounds existing workplace pressures, with 58 per cent of trainees working more than 40 hours weekly and nearly half rating their workload as heavy or very heavy. Only half of specialist trainees report adequate access to mental health support, highlighting critical gaps in wellbeing infrastructure.”
The AMA is particularly alarmed that one in 10 trainees — rising to one in six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees — are considering leaving medicine within the next year. With 37 per cent of trainees concerned about future employment and 29 per cent worried about completing their training, urgent intervention is needed to secure the medical workforce.
Chair of the AMA’s Council of Doctors in Training Dr Sanjay Hettige said Australia can’t afford to lose talented doctors due to preventable cultural and systemic failures.
“These are not just statistics — they represent our future GPs, other specialists, and healthcare leaders who are being failed by the system,” Dr Hettige said.
“The AMA is urging governments, health services and training providers to implement comprehensive anti-bullying strategies, manage the risks of fatigue more effectively and invest in robust mental health support systems – which must include committing to the Every Doctor Every Setting Framework and action plan.
“Fear of repercussions remains the primary barrier to reporting incidents, with 52 per cent of trainees citing this as their reason for staying silent. Every doctor deserves a psychologically safe workplace. The time for incremental change has passed — we need bold, system-wide reform now.
"We need to create a healthcare system that is ready for the future, and this is contingent on building a sustainable healthcare workforce."
